Meet Hossanah Asuncion

May 5, 2015

Please tell us of an artist, curator, activist, or project that has influenced you or inspired you?

I am a deep admirer of Michael Twitty, a culinary historian and food writer, traveling the south on his “Southern Discomfort Tour” where he is recreating the antebellum kitchen. He is literally feeding the culinary contributions of enslaved Blacks to a diverse body of guests who, while hungry for southern food, are also learning about the specific and significant influence African slaves had on American cuisine. Michael Twitty, in his efforts, is striving for what he calls, culinary justiceâ€.

Cathy Park Hong is one of my favorite poets whose work pushes against the capacity of language and meaning.

But it’s not only her work that I respect and adore, but what she does with her influence. She is recently named the poetry editor for The New Republic—a journal that is heavily criticized for its privileged point of view. Her editorial voice is as strong as her poetic voice curating a magazine’s poetry section that is relevant and provocative.

Please tell us about a place in your neighborhood that is personally meaningful to you, and why?

Despite my love of food, my kitchen is often barren—I don’t usually have the time to cook and it’s not so fun cooking just for me and my cat. Right off the Nostrand A/C stop is Ali’s Trinidad Roti Shop. The rotis there are delicious. It’s also one of the places that has every person from the neighborhood coming in—a mix of new and old neighbors. It’s quite lovely.

What is your favorite book, film or song about NYC?

If you have an idea of a blog post or topic you’d like to contribute to our blog, please share below!

Food themed! Food as culture!

Hossannah Asuncion was raised near the 105 and 710 freeways in L.A. She currently lives near an A/C stop in Brooklyn. Kimiko Hahn selected her manuscript, Fragments of Loss, for a 2010 Poetry Society of America National Chapbook Fellowship. She is also a Kundiman fellow.

(718) 574–0798

For questions about how to navigate The Laundromat Project venues during the course of programs, exhibitions, and installations, and to address any other access accommodations, please contact The Laundromat Project offices by phone at (718) 574-0798 (Monday—Friday, 10:00am—6:00pm) or by email at info@laundromatproject.org.